In some sports, you can’t tell the players without a scorecard. When it comes to sectional wrestling, not only does a scorecard not benefit the fan, but a road map is also an important part of their arsenal.

Area fans will be fanning out to the west and south today and Saturday, depending upon which division their favorite wrestlers are involved. There are two potential destinations for Division I wrestlers, while area Division II and III competitors will return to sites with which they have become familiar.

The largest contingent of area wrestlers will be involved in the Division II sectional tournament at Lake Catholic High School, with Conneaut, Edgewood, Geneva, Jefferson and Perry in that field. Wrestling begins there at 5 p.m. today with two rounds of championship-bracket wrestling, then resumes at 10 a.m. Saturday with a round of consolation wrestling before the championship semifinals and then more consolation wrestling. The championship and consolation finals are set for 6:30 p.m. with the four wrestlers involved in those matches advancing to the district tournament Feb. 26-27 at Akron Firestone High School.

The largest portion of Division I wrestlers will return this year to Austintown Fitch as Lakeside and Madison make that trip. This year, it will be conducted over two days.

The fan has to get going pretty early to get to that sectional as wrestling begins at 3:45 p.m. today with two rounds of championship-bracket wrestling. Then they have to return at 9 a.m. Saturday for the resumption of competition with the championship and consolation finals set for 3:30 p.m. The destination of those wrestlers should make them quite happy as they’ll be much closer to home as the Division I districts will return to their old home at Mentor High School instead of the long drive to Massillon Perry that has been the norm in recent years.

Riverside wrestlers also have to be quite happy with the change of scenery they will receive this year. Of recent vintage, the Beavers had joined Lakeside and Madison at Austintown for their sectional, but this year, they have been shifted to one of the true meccas of Ohio high school wrestling by going to Maple Heights High School.

The sectional at Maple Heights will begin today at 5 p.m. with two rounds of championship-bracket wrestling. It resumes at 10 a.m. Saturday. The championship and consolation finals will begin at 6:30 p.m. with those wrestlers advancing to the Mentor district Feb. 26-27.

Wrestlers from Grand Valley and Pymatuning Valley will return to their traditional Division III sectional site at Beachwood High School. Action there begins at 6 p.m. today with two rounds of championship-bracket wrestling.

The wrestlers return for competition at 10 a.m. Saturday. The championship and consolation finals will start at 6 p.m. with the wrestlers in those matches already with tickets to the district tournament at Maple Heights in their pocket.



Division II

The 13-team field at Lake Catholic has traditionally been the domain of the host school, University School and West Geauga, but area teams have enjoyed their share of success there. That particularly applies to Edgewood, Geneva and Perry.

Probably the most renowned area wrestler in the field is Conneaut senior Patrick Sanford, who placed seventh at 215 pounds in the 2009 Division II state tournament and earned Star Beacon Ashtabula County Wrestler of the Year honors as a result. Sanford is picked to finish 10th at 285 pounds at the state tournament by the Brakeman Report, the authoritative voice on Ohio high school wrestling, but Sanford has already dropped down to 215 pounds for this year’s tournament, so he is something of a wild card in that field.

First-year Conneaut coach Matt Bidwell is building the Spartan program toward its former standards, but is doing so with a cast of young wrestlers to this point. The next best chance for district qualification for a Conneaut wrestler probably rests with Alesha Zappitella at 103 pounds.

Next to Sanford, the most highly regarded area wrestler in the Division II sectional is Perry’s Brandon Loxterman at 140 pounds. He is rated 11th in the state at his weight by the Brakeman Report.

Other than Loxterman, the Pirates are also a very young outfit this year. Probably the best prospects for Perry beyond Loxterman are his younger brother Brian at 103 pounds, Matt Vendeville at 119 pounds and Cody Clark at 152 pounds.

The only other area wrestler rated in Division II by the Brakeman Report is Jefferson freshman Ricker Maple at 103 pounds. He is ranked 26th at that weight, meaning he is considered an outside shot at reaching the state tournament.

The Falcons have other candidates for district qualification as well. Perhaps the best is Maple’s older brother, Keegan, who is trying to pack two years of wrestling into one season after not being allowed to participate last year. He should be a strong candidate at 135 pounds. Other Jefferson prospects are Joey Severino (189), Gage Severino (285), Chris Tatters (130) and David Hargesheimer (140).

Edgewood and Geneva are usually factors in the team race at Lake Catholic, but both teams have lineups sprinkled with youngsters who go into the meet as mysteries. There are candidates from both squads, though.

Geneva wrestlers who are looked upon as prospects to reach the next level are Cole Maloy (103), Tommy Padavick (189) and David Leishman (285). The Eagles also hope to get wrestlers like Dakota Brininger (112), Scotti Warner (119), Quaid Traves (130) and Dan Shannon (130) through to district.

Edgewood’s most tested competitor is Thomas Butryn (130), who is a veteran of district wrestling. Other strong Warrior candidates are the Dickey brothers, Travis (112) and Tyler (145), along with Zach Williamson (103) and Christian Severino (140). They will also hope wrestlers like Matthew Stolfer (125) and Dillon Hutton (135) can make the grade.



Division I, Austintown

Madison coach Ryan Wirtzberger is gradually molding the Blue Streaks back into a program with which to be reckoned. He is hoping his team can make an impact in the team race, although the field at Fitch includes perennial powers like the host Falcons, Solon, Twinsburg and Boardman.

Some of the area’s strongest possibilities for advancement to the state tournament rest with Madison, however. Matt Turek (119) will be particularly motivated this year after falling one match short of qualification to Columbus. He is ranked 19th by the Brakeman Report.

However, the most highly regarded Madison wrestler is freshman Nick Montgomery, who has burst on the scene at 103 pounds. He is rated eighth at his weight by the Brakeman Report.

Other Blue Streaks who will be candidates for the district tournament are Soren Iverson (130), who made it to that level last year, Josh Burr (135), Jake Montgomery (152), Chris Wood (160) and Josh Ransom (171). Nick Lasko (215) and Thomas Scarberry (285) may also be able to qualify to Mentor.

Lakeside will be looking to its contingent in the middle weights to carry its hopes toward district. The best candidate for the Dragons is Shawn Dell (160), who reached that level last year.

Other possibilities for Lakeside include Connor Dickey (140) and Bobby Ledenican (189). They are hopeful of advancing others like Rex Dickey (145), Zach McClintock (152) and Otis Conel (160).



Division III

PV and Grand Valley are the lone rangers at Beachwood and could be factors in the team race. There are no true powerhouses at that sectional, although the host team should be a factor with which to reckoned, along with a resurgent Cardinal squad and Kirtland.

Two PV wrestlers are ranked by the Brakeman Report as candidates for state qualification. They are Drew Skleres (215), who is ranked 18th at his weight and fell one victory short of the state tournament as a freshman, and Jacob Brown (145), son of coach Kevin Brown, who is rated 19th at his weight.

There are other prospects among the Lakers to at least advance to Maple Heights, however. They include Zach Campbell (119), Zack Benedict (130) and Chuck Crowther (171). PV wrestlers who could also qualify for district are Kyle Conger (125), Zach Jones (135), Nick Stasiak (152), Cody Ellis (160), Zach Feydo (189) and Cody Conley (285).

Grand Valley also has its share of past district qualifiers who would like to take it even farther. The greatest strength of the Mustangs rests with its middle weights, led by James Anderson (152), R.J. Riley (145), Sean Szitas (160) and Logan Nye (189), son of Ashtabula County’s only two-time state champion. Justin McCartney (103) is also a district candidate.



Division I, Maple Heights

Riverside has traded one very competitive sectional tournament for another. The Beavers figure to be a factor in the team race, but there are also other high-powered teams like the host squad, Mayfield, Brush and South, which defeated the Beavers for the Premier Athletic Conference championship.

The Beavers have two wrestlers ranked in the Brakeman Report. Jake Rich (285) is rated 19th at his weight, while Rich Russell (215) is 26th in his class.

There are other valuable prospects for district qualification in the Riverside lineup. They include Mitch Diemert (135), Cameron Ellis (103), Jon Knott (145), Nick Stofan (152) and Sean Schilling (189). Other possibilities for the Beavers include Ariel Guerrero (119) and Evan Rosborough (160).